Boat Name: Titia

Sail: KC 22

Year Built: 1952

Designer: David Boyd

Builder: Woodnutt & Co.

Owner: Brian Pope

History: KC22 Titia, ex. K22 Titia, was designed and built to compete in the British trials for the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki. Though unsuccessful for that purpose, Titia distinguished herself a few years later. In the 1956 North Americans, held on Long Island Sound, Titia finished a disappointing last place, experiencing gear failures and other problems. She was simply off the pace. Immediately following the North Americans the Royal Canadian Yacht Club challenged for the famous Seawanhaka International Challenge Cup, a sailing trophy whose only active senior is the America's Cup. Bill Gooderham, who had just won the NA's with the brand new S&S design, KC 25 Buzzy III, was to represent the RCYC. Through a quirk in the rules, Buzzy III was ruled ineligible to compete for the Cup because while built in Canada, she was designed in the USA. According to the rules, only the British designed Titia qualified to compete for Canada. No matter. Titia's owner allowed Gooderham with his championship crew on Titia, to face two time Olympic Gold medallist Herman 'Swede' Whiton in the famous US 81 Goose for the Cup. Whiton was very keen to win the Cup becasue he was one of the major forces behind the new 5.5 meter class and needed to win in order to change it over for competition in 5.5s. Interestingly, the last time Goose sailed for the Seawanhaka Cup was in a drifter of a race in 1938 against another Boyd design, "Circe". The results were no different this time, but the weather was. Winds were reported to be over 30 knots with mountainous seas. I'm sure that chagrin doesn't even begin to describe what must have been the feelings on the old Goose when Gooderham and Titia went away the winner in the series to bring the Seawanhaka Cup to Toronto. Goose got rebuilt by Luders shortly thereafter and won the Cup back the following year against Titia in light conditions. Titia spent many years covered in a garage in Newport, Rhode Island, before Alex Salisbury completed a basic restoration and got her back out sailing. Brian Pope acquired the boat in 2005 and completed a more extensive renovation of the boat. She is currently located in Falmouth, U.K. and recently placed 2nd of 23 entries in the 2015 ISMA World Championships at La Trinite sur Mer in France. Titia is for sale, see full listing.